Ivan Sosa’s Good Samaritan Deed Ends in Fatality

Ivan Sosa

Corozal Police are looking for one person in connection with a murder that occurred in the village of Ranchito on the Philip Goldson Highway. Just after midnight on Saturday, as Pasadita Bar was closing for the day, thirty-eight-year-old Ivan Sosa was shot to the right shoulder by a masked man who approached the establishment with a sawed-off shotgun in an attempt to rob the proprietor. Sosa intervened and was fatally injured; he bled to death just outside the bar. News Five’s Duane Moody reports.

Luis Sosa Sr., Father of Murder Victim

“That same time the robbery was occurring and look like he wanted to help the place and he got shot there.”

Duane Moody, Reporting

A heroic act by Ranchito resident Ivan Sosa cost him his life early Sunday morning in Corozal District. Sosa was retiring for the night as Pasadita Bar was closing at midnight when a masked gunman approached in an attempt to rob the female proprietor who was exiting the establishment at the same time. Sosa got involved by trying to prevent the gunman from entering the establishment. The proprietor closed the door, leaving Sosa outside arguing with the gunman, who fired a single shot that caught him in the right shoulder.

Samuel Daniels

Samuel Daniels, Neighbor

“I hear my dog di begin to bark and I took a look outside but I didn’t hear anything. So all the time got the neighbor dog that comes by and turn over the garbage and I didn’t pay it attention. But the dog continued barking. I was awake and all of a sudden I heard one gunshot but I didn’t know where it was or if it had hit somebody or whatsoever. After the gunshot, everything became silent; the dogs stop barking. And from there, I heard a vehicle drive off and I say well, probably nothing happen.”

The gunman then escaped across the highway and into nearby bushes.

Luis Javier Sosa Senior says that his son visited with him at the family house on Saturday and left around five-thirty the evening. He hemorrhaged for almost an hour and a half after he was shot when a passerby found him and called the family to say he was on the ground, apparently dead.

Luis Sosa Sr.

Luis Sosa Sr.

“We got a phone call about one-thirty in the morning that my son had just gotten shot. This happened from twelve o’clock but we didn’t get the message until about one-thirty in the night.”

Duane Moody

“And from what I understand, it wasn’t by the owner of the bar; it was actually by someone that was passing by.”

Luis Sosa Sr.

“Yes, that’s the problem. Not even the police come to the house and tell me anything. As a matter of fact, up to now police hasn’t reached my house.”

Wilfredo Ferrufino

Insp. Wilfredo Ferrufino, C.I.B., Belize City

“He was deceased on police arrival. Investigations from police indicated that the owner of a business there was closing the business when a lone gunman, a masked individual at that approached the owner and Mister Sosa intervene and in the intervention, he and the culprit were engaged in an argument and the individual shot him and made good his escape.”

Sosa Senior says that the family is hurt because Ivan was an easy going person—the second eldest son, married, but with no kids.

Luis Sosa Sr.

“My son was one of the beautifullest persons. He was always there with us. He didn’t live with us because he had his own house, but everyday he used to reach and just inquire if everything is alright with us. So he was one of the most loving sons I have.”

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